How Large Card In Slot 2?

[F_Slim]

(the left card is /dev/mmcblk0, the right card is /dev/mmcblk1)

That's not correct by the way. I thought so too for a while, but the mmcblk0/1 corresponds to the order you insert the cards. So if you first insert a card in the right slot and afterwards in the left slot, the naming will be reversed!

It does tell you the size of the card though (which will probably a be bit less than what's written on the card, e.g. 59,58 GB instead of 64 GB, that's normal!) This will help you to find the right one.

But don't worry: it is still fool-proof since (as WizardStan said) you can not format the card you started gparted from. And the SD slots are all you have access to from gparted (plus USB sticks maybe), so you can't mess up anything important.

Just stick to the rest of WizardStan's description and you'll be fine. I was pretty intimidated when I tried this for the first time, but it actually turned out to be very easy. You'll be able to format anything to whatever you want and even make partitions once you know how gparted works. so it really is worth trying.

About the SDHC/SDXC stuff ... yeah, well all I wanted to say is that some very very (very?) old card readers have problems with "modern" SD cards, but if a 32GB card works this is probably not an issue.

 

[Askarus]

Come one. Don't fear hear so much.

It's the simplest thing in the world.

1: Get SD-Card

2: Put it inside the right slot of the Pandora.

3: Launch Gparted from the left SD-card.

4: Format the right card to FAT32.

5: Be happy.

If you're unsure which card to take, see this list: http://pandorawiki.org/SD_compatibility_list

The green ones are good.

Others, not in the list, will work as well.

 

[Kumaki]

Allright...so, supposing I was to get a Lexar Professional 128GB 133x SDXC (which is green on the list) it will format to FAT32...and it will also then be able to be read from, and written to...by my windows 7 laptop, using external USB card reader?

The current card reader I am using handles 32GB cards with no problem.

So, basically a three-part question:

A - GParted WILL format the 128GB card mentioned above, with NO partitions, as a FAT32 card (has to be FAT32 so that my existing laptop will read/write to it)

B - The new 128GB card, formatted to FAT32 - will work in the Pandora

C - The new 128GB card...formatted as above described...should read/write thru my existing card reader, which handles a 32GB card just fine.

I need to know these things before I go blowing a lot of bread on a card - because I don't want to end up with an expensive card that I can't use.

I'd like bigger cards like this in order to accommodate all my movies.

 

[Kumaki]

As regards which card to format...it seems that the original instructions would work...assuming you first remove both cards, then re-boot the system with no cards in it...THEN insert Card 1 first, then Card 2....right?

 

[Asiyura]

Why don't you use NTFS for your SD card, it's available on windows since windows XP and it's available for Pandora with the codec pack…

Moreover it allows to put large files that FAT32 wouldn't allow.

 

[Kumaki]

I dunno.  All I need is something that my Windows computer will read.  and all I knew for sure was FAT32.

I have Windows 7.

If it would handle NTFS...and either GParted or Panasonic SD Formatter will give me NTFS, that would also be fine.

I assume Pandora is okay with NTFS?

I honestly do not know a lot of this stuff.

I am one of these people for whom technology has begun to leave me behind.  I was good in my day with BASIC and PASCAL...but those days are long gone.

 

[F_Slim]

A - GParted WILL format the 128GB card mentioned above, with NO partitions, as a FAT32 card (has to be FAT32 so that my existing laptop will read/write to it)

B - The new 128GB card, formatted to FAT32 - will work in the Pandora

C - The new 128GB card...formatted as above described...should read/write thru my existing card reader, which handles a 32GB card just fine.

A: Yes!

(technically speaking you always have at least one partition, butI know what you mean and the answer is YES)

B&C: Yes, it should work fine, just like the SD cards you use now.

As regards which card to format...it seems that the original instructions would work...assuming you first remove both cards, then re-boot the system with no cards in it...THEN insert Card 1 first, then Card 2....right?

Yes, that will make sure the naming is as WizardStan described.

And as I said: you will be able to tell the difference by the size of the card, which is shown next to it.

EDIT: and you can't accidently format the card that has gparted on it. I tried.

 

[Kumaki]

Thank you all for your answers.

I will have to try this, so I can have larger cards...more movies on each one!

 

[Morn]

Why don't you use NTFS for your SD card

The theory is taht NTFS comes with journalling which causes more writes to the card and could make it wear of sooner. That's why FAT was popular for so long. Dunno how serious the problem is with modern SD cards.

I assume Pandora is okay with NTFS?

As KodeIn already said - NTFS works just fine as long as you have community codec pack installed.

 

[Askarus]

the problem with NTFS is that you need the codec pack installed.

as nowadays you don't need th reflash when a Firmware update is out it should be fine.

But if you have to reflash you need a SD-card that is not NTFS to install the codec pack.

Also I can't say 100% sure that your Windows can handle the cards though a card reader.

But there's no reason why not.

Mine could but had some problems in the end. I think it was a general Windows problem and not because of the card.

 

[Grench]

Is there a reason why nobody has suggested installing the ExFAT.pnd on the 'left' card then using the 64GB or 128GB card in the 'right' slot without any re-formatting?

Just curious - it seems like too easy of an answer.

Note - 'left' and 'right' are arbitrary for one vs the other.

 

[_wb_]

I did suggest the exFAT pnd. Note that it is an installer, once it is installed (to NAND) you can use exFAT on both slots if you want.


I use ext4 and no Windows devices myself, but it's always nice to have options...

 

[Kumaki]

The problem with ExFAT is that I am not sure my Windows 7 laptop can read it.

 

[TrashyMG]

The problem with ExFAT is that I am not sure my Windows 7 laptop can read it.

It can, ExFAT is a Microsoft design.

 

[Kumaki]

But do you have to install something on your laptop, or does it do it out of the box?

And getting the card to format exFAT with Panasonic?  Not sure you can?

If GParted will get me a large card done to FAT32 that my laptop will read right now, then I have what I need.

 

[thatgui]

Just curious - it seems like too easy of an answer.

Why not use Fat32 (at least unless exFat gets integrated into the firmware)? => the advantages of exFat or NTFS are minimal in our case, and Fat32 provides the most compatibility.

But do you have to install something on your laptop, or does it do it out of the box?

out of the box

And getting the card to format exFAT with Panasonic?  Not sure you can?

The Panasonic SD-Formatter won't give you any other choice

If GParted will get me a large card done to FAT32 that my laptop will read right now, then I have what I need.

There won't be any compatibility issues if you use Fat32 on a card of that size

 

[F_Slim]

It may be worth checking what format the card is formated in when you get it. I guess it will be ExFAT, maybe NTFS. Win7 will be able to read it out of the box. If you don't mind having to install the codec pack or whatever .PND to have ExFAT support on the Pandora, you don't have to format at all.